U.S. to give additional $10M to Venezuelan migrants

June 26 (UPI) -- Vice President Mike Pence announced Tuesday that the United States will provide an additional $10 million in humanitarian aid to Venezuelans who have fled the country.

The additional funds brings the total amount of humanitarian assistance from the U.S. government to nearly $31 million for fiscal year 2017, USAID said in a statement.

"This funding for the Venezuelan people includes a contribution to the International Organization for Migration's regional response to the Venezuela crisis, support for the U.N. World Food Program's emergency response efforts for Venezuelans who have recently arrived in Ecuador, and other humanitarian aid to Venezuelans and host communities in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru," USAID said. "U.S. assistance will help provide displaced Venezuelans with emergency food assistance, safe drinking water, hygiene supplies, shelter, protection from violence and exploitation, and work and education opportunities."

The United States is also partnering with Colombia to provide $18.5 million in humanitarian assistance to Venezuelans who have fled to Colombia.

The IOM estimates that nearly 1 million Venezuelans have left the country over the past two years, including a sharp increase during the latter half of 2017 when Venezuela's economic crisis worsened, The Washington Post reported.